Hot pot refers to several Chinese varieties of steaming pots. It consists of a boiling metal pot at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept boiling, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, dumplings and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with dipping sauces. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten in winter. The Chinese hot pot has a history of more than 1000 years.

In Beijing (Peking), hot pot is eaten all year round. Typical Beijing hot pot is eaten indoors during the winter. Restaurants offer sectioned bowls with different flavor broths in each section. The Manchurian hot pot uses plenty of suan cai (a kind of sour vegetable) to make a sour flavor. One of the most famous variations of hot pots is the Sichuan "má là" (numb and spicy) hot pot. It creates a sensation on the tongue that is spicy and numb.